What is Creative Nonfiction?
The term Creative Nonfiction describes what this genre of creative writing is all about. The word “creative” simply means the literary craft that goes into writing true stories in such a way that your readers feel like they're getting an insider's view of real events and memories. Unlike fiction and poetry, creative nonfiction must describe and characterize factual events in vivid and accurate ways. Creative Nonfiction has been around as a genre of creative writing and literature for a very, very long time. The genre offers freedom and quite a lot of flexibility (as long as its factually accurate) in the expression of a combination of reporting, imagery, characterization, and reflection. This genre also encourages the writer to become a part of the story or essay. The ideas, resources, and prompts in the creative nonfiction section of this SLTW site might help you become more than a just a writer of the genre. We hope you’ll also become a keen observer and interpreter of the world around you.
Visit Hippocampus Magazine's list of Creative Nonfiction resources & links: "Resources for Creative Nonfiction Writers."
Visit Hippocampus Magazine's list of Creative Nonfiction resources & links: "Resources for Creative Nonfiction Writers."
Some Sub-genres of Creative Nonfiction
MemoirsMemoirs are true stories derived from memory. In fact, the term "memoir" is derived from the French word for memory, "mémoire." Memoirs offer snapshot views from one’s life. In memoirs, the writer reflects on the story being written, tries to make sense of how the past relates to the present. In this way, memoirs are like essays: they try to make a point AND make meaning out of it.
To learn more about memoir writing, try out some memoir prompts, and more, go to the "Memoir" page. There's a link to the page underneath the "Creative Nonfiction" tab in the navigation menu. |
Lyric EssaysLyric essays are weird and fun. They focus on using unique and intriguing structures to help shape the story and the meaning of it.
To learn more about lyric essay forms, writing, try out some lyric essay prompts, and more, go to the "Lyric Essay" page. There's a link to the page underneath the "Creative Nonfiction" tab in the navigation menu. |
More Creative Nonfiction FormsThere's a whole other range of creative nonfiction that doesn't fit under the category of memoir or lyric essay. There are so many subgenres that we couldn't make a section for all of them individually, but you can read about a lot of them here!
To learn more about other creative nonfiction forms, writing/creating, try out some prompts, and more, go to the "More Creative Nonfiction Forms" page. There's a link to the page underneath the "Creative Nonfiction" tab in the navigation menu. |